It took me eighteen years to
realize what an extraordinary influence my
mother has been on my life. She’s the kind
of person who has thoughtful discussions
about which artist she would most want to
have her portrait painted by (Sargent), the
kind of mother who always has time for her
four children, and the kind of community
leader who has a seat on the board of every
major project to assist Washington’s impoverished
citizens. Growing up with such a strong role
model, I developed many of her enthusiasms.
I not only came to love the excitement of
learning simply for the sake of knowing something
new, but I also came to understand the idea
of giving back to the community in exchange
for a new sense of life, love, and spirit.
My mother’s enthusiasm for learning
is most apparent in travel. I was nine years
old when my family visited Greece. Every
night for three weeks before the trip, my
older brother Peter and I sat with my mother
on her bed reading Greek myths and taking
notes on the Greek Gods. Despite the fact
that we were traveling with fourteen-month-old
twins, we managed to be at each ruin when
the site opened at sunrise. I vividly remember
standing in an empty amphitheatre pretending
to be an ancient tragedian, picking out my
favorite sculpture in the Acropolis museum,
and inserting our family into modified tales
of the battle at Troy. Eight years and half
a dozen passport stamps later I have come
to value what I have learned on these journeys
about global history, politics and culture,
as well as my family and myself.
While I treasure the various
worlds my mother has opened to me abroad,
my life has been equally transformed by what
she has shown me just two miles from my house.
As a ten year old, I often accompanied my
mother to (name deleted), a local soup kitchen
and children’s center. While she attended
meetings, I helped with the Summer Program
by chasing children around the building and
performing magic tricks. Having finally perfected
the “floating paintbrush” trick, I began
work as a full time volunteer with the five
and six year old children last June. It is
here that I met Jane Doe, an exceptionally
strong girl with a vigor that is contagious.
At the end of the summer, I decided to continue
my work at (name deleted) as Jane’s tutor.
Although the position is often difficult,
the personal rewards are beyond articulation.
In the seven years since I first walked through
the doors of (name deleted), I have learned
not only the idea of giving to others, but
also of deriving from them a sense of spirit.
Everything that my mother has
ever done has been overshadowed by the thought
behind it. While the raw experiences I have
had at home and abroad have been spectacular,
I have learned to truly value them by watching
my mother. She has enriched my life with
her passion for learning, and changed it
with her devotion to humanity. In her endless
love of everything and everyone she is touched
by, I have seen a hope and life that is truly
exceptional. Next year, I will find a new
home miles away. However, my mother will
always be by my side.
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